Pottsville tennis wins 4A-4 ConferenceCLARKSVILLE -- The Pottsville Apaches and Lady Apaches tennis teams both won 4A-4 Conference championships on Thursday at the University of the Ozarks. Nine Pottsville players qualified for the Class 4A state tournaments on Oct. 16-17. "This team is simply outstanding," Apaches and Lady Apaches head coach Keri McAlister said. "Each time they step on the court they display extraordinary toughness from their soul, mind and body. They never quit ...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Little Johns stomp Rattlers 47-12 in 2A-4DANVILLE -- Little John Quentin Tolbert rushed for 313 yards and three touchdowns and Preston Donnell threw three touchdown passes as Danville defeated the visiting Magazine Rattlers 47-12 Friday at Little John Field. Tolbert first reached the end zone after a 69-yard run on Danville's (6-1, 5-0 2A-4 Conference) first play of the game. Ray Sierra hit the point-after kick to make it 7-0 a minute and three seconds into the first quarter. Donnell...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Sand Lizards shut out Tigers 42-0WEST FORK â€" The Dardanelle Sand Lizards spoiled West Forkâ€â ˘s homecoming Friday night and claimed a 42-0 victory. Actually, better make that senior quarterback Elyas Carter and the Sand Lizards (6-0, 3-0 4A-4 Conference) spoiled homecoming for the Tigers (0-6, 0-3). Carter rushed for four touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass to help Dardanelle build a 35-0 halftime lead and put the AAA mercy rule in effect in the second half. That means t...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Red Devils run over Paris Eagles 52-20 in 3A-4PARIS -- The Paris Eagles took a 7-0 lead in Friday night's 3A-4 Conference game in Logan County. But all that did was make the Atkins Red Devils mad. Trey Davis returned two Paris interceptions for touchdowns, Gage Rehm scored three touchdowns, and Atkins didn't let the Eagles score again until it had put up 38 unanswered in the Red Devils' 52-20 conference rout. Paris (2-4, 1-2 3A-4 Conference) went up 7-0 on a five-yard run by DaKovan Wise ...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Cyclones survive Lake HamiltonPEARCY -- It got spooky late in the game, but the Russellville Cyclones held on for a 40-35 win over the Lake Hamilton Wolves on Friday at Wolf Stadium. Russellville (3-3, 2-1 6A-West) led 34-14 in the third quarter but after a touchdown, recovered fumble and another touchdown by the Wolves, it became a six-point game in the fourth. The Cyclones opened the second half with a fumble recovery in the end zone by Seth Plummer to give Russellville ...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Cyclones facing Wing-T in pursuit of third winRussellville Cyclones head coach Jeff Weaver is familiar with Lake Hamilton head coach Tommy Gilleran's Wing-T offense. The two coaches squared off in 2009 while Weaver was coaching the Mena Bearcats and in 2014 and 2015 while he was head coach of Little Rock Christian. Weaver grabbed a 47-7 win in 2015 but lost 40-30 in 2014. In 2009, Gilleran beat Mena 50-13. Before Gilleran went to Lake Hamilton, he coached the Dover Pirates for several yea...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Sand Lizards seek sharpening against West ForkDARDANELLE -- Sand Lizards head coach Phil Vega wants the Sand Lizards to work on sharpening themselves as they travel to the winless West Fork Tigers on Friday. "We are approaching this game as an opportunity to get Dardanelle better," Vega said. 'We are looking at executing better on offense and defense and just trying to sharpen Dardanelle." West Fork (0-5, 0-2 4A-4 Conference), who has not scored more than two touchdowns in a game all seas...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

RHS basketball boosters to raise funds SaturdayThe Russellville Basketball Booster Club is looking to raise funds on Saturday through the Ford Drive For Your School Fundraiser at Centennial Bank at the City Mall. For every person who test drives a Ford vehicle, $20 will be donated to the booster club. The booster club provides additional financial support for the Cyclones basketball program from seventh grade through high school, including team meals and other amenities. The event is spons...

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Courier staff reportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Did you know?THE COURIER / Caitlin Whorton Sophomore Jaidon Palmer (23), seen here hauling in a touchdown pass against the Benton Panthers, led the Cyclones in receiving yards in back-to-back weeks. It is the first time a sophomore has led in receiving yards two weeks in a row since Jalen Curtis in 2011.

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

#throwbackthursdayRepublished from a 1974 edition of The Courier-Democrat. Goal line Text ColorSwatch/NoneStrokeStyle/$ID/SolidText ColorSwatch/NoneStrokeStyle/$ID/Solid$ID/NothingText ColorText Color$ID/NothingText ColorText ColorstandsText ColorSwatch/NoneStrokeStyle/$ID/SolidText ColorSwatch/NoneStrokeStyle/$ID/Solid$ID/NothingText ColorText Color$ID/NothingText ColorText Color became common place Saturday for Arkansas Tech as good field position often gave ...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Pottsville tennis hosts final home matchBY TRAVIS SIMPSON sports@couriernews.com POTTSVILLE -- The Pottsville Apaches and Lady Apaches tennis team hosted Dardanelle in their final home match of the season on Thursday. "For our seniors, it was their last home match ever," Pottsville head coach Keri McAlister said. "With seven seniors, it was a very bittersweet night. Amongst all my seniors, they have accumulated three consecutive boys and girls district titles and three state titles....

Hector shocks No. 3 Eagles 31-30BY TRAVIS SIMPSON sports@couriernews.com CONWAY -- The Hector Wildcats came up big against the previously undefeated Conway Christian Eagles on Friday. "I thought it was a really good high school football game," Hector head coach Kyle Russell said. "It got a little ugly with penalties on both sides, but I think that had to do with the kids wanting to win it." The Wildcats (4-1, 2-0 2A-5 Conference) got a 31-30 win on a 2-point conversion in th...

River Hawks host first golf tourneyCourier staff reports Community Christian school in Russellville recently hosted it's first annual two-man scramble golf tournament at Chamberlyne Country Club in Danville. Twenty teams competed in the tournament ranging from fourth grade to adults, some who drove from Conway and as far away as Fayettville to compete. "Our first annual Golf Tournament exceeded our expectations with a fantastic host in Chamerblyne Country Cub and an outpouring ...

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Courier staff reportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Little Johns beat RebelsCOAL HILL -- Quentin Tolbert rushed for 220 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries, Evan Lane scored three TDs and the visiting Danville Little Johns scored touchdowns in the second quarter on their way to a 47-16 win over the Johnson County Westside Rebels at Wayne Miller Field on Friday. Danville improved to 5-1 and stayed unbeaten in the 2A-4 Conference. Johnson County Westside went to 2-2 and 0-2. Tolbert's first touchdown run of 30 yard...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Atkins throttles Two Rivers, 40-0ATKINS -- The Atkins Red Devils beat the Two Rivers Gators 40-0 on Friday at Sorrels Stadium at Lemley Field. Atkins (4-1, 2-0 3A-4 Conference) took a 33-0 lead by the end of the third quarter on two 50-yard touchdown passes from quarterback Zack Harris to Trey Davis and Parker Sweet. Before that, Josh Jones scored on a 19-yard run to put the Red Devils on the scoreboard. Harris connected with Jones on the next possession for a 16-yard touchdo...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Cyclones victorious at homecomingThe Russellville Cyclones won their first 6A-West Conference football game of the season and celebrated homecoming week with a 28-14 victory over the Sheridan Yellowjackets at Cyclone Stadium. The Cyclones (2-3, 1-1) took the opening kickoff and started on offense at the 15. They advanced to the Sheridan 19 until an incomplete pass on fourth down forced RHS to turn the ball over on downs. Sheridan's first pass turned into the Cyclones' first t...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Sand Lizards dominate Battle of the Big RiverDARDANELLE -- The Battle of the Big River trophy eluded the Pottsville Apaches for the fourth year in a row after Friday's 42-14 loss to the Dardanelle Sand Lizards at Keenan Field. Dardanelle (4-1, 2-0 4A-4 Conference) spent the majority of the night concentrated on the run game, despite finding plenty of success through the air previously in the season. "Why throw it if you don't have to?" Sand Lizards head coach Phil Vega said of the strate...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley